Coupler



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J.' WESOLIK COUPLER Filed Augst 27, 192;

March 1, 19zs.

2 t e e .n s t e .e h S 2 3 2 9 .l m l. mw wang Emma WGH A J. .w l .1 F

5 .m E 2 9 l 1 6 1.. .h n m ff v WJ a 5 l n n l m w W v //u y n 9 3 9 i d 3. e 4 |\QL ...1 7 n 3 M. 4 6 3 w 6 lll c. m M w l 4@ f ,7 p 0 Z 6f7 E@ n M FV 7 I\ 6 6 9 M Q L v .1 5v fk H l? m I H N T W 5 6 6 9 E /E /m Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES i n 1,577,278 PA'TENrjoFgFIcE.

JOSEPH WESOLIK, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO EWALLA LUETSCHER,QF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS, v.AND ONE-FOURTH TO LUDWIG IKRIBIBEN, I

OF CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COUPLERg.

Application led August 27, 1923. Serial No. 659,471.

To all 'whomz't'may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH lVEsoLiK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, in the county of St.y Clair and State of Illinois, have invented -a certain new and useful Coupler, of which the following, is a specification.

This invention relates to couplers and more particularly to a coupler for coal mine cars, and, has for its object to provide a` coupler which is a distinct and vpractical improvement to overcome certain practical objections to, and defects in, mine car couplers of the standard type.

A further object of the invention is the provision ofa coupler which will besimple in construction, strong', durable andV easily and quickly manipulated when uncoupling cars and which will be automatic and highly eliicient in its coupling operation.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel'features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts and their equivalents hereinafter more fully described and nally pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts througout the several views:

Fig. 1, is a plan view of a coupler embodying the features of myy present invention. v

Fig. 2, is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3, is a horizontal sectional view of the coupler.

Fig. 4, is a view of the coupler, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectional elevation with the locking mechanism shown as raised or unlocked to permit Aof the two coupling heads being disconnected. Fig. 5, isa sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the coupler heads in their engaged position which position they assume when two cars are bumped together.l

Fig. 6, is a view partlyiin front elevation and partly in sectional elevation ofone of the *coupler heads lof the coupler.

Fig. 7 is a detail in side elevation of one of the coupler heads showing the connecting bar thereof in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in another position.

It will be here observed that the type of couplerI have herein illustrated and described consists of twor coupler heads, eachof different construction, one head of which is applied to one end of a' car bodyand the other head to the opposite end of the car body, whichpermits the cars to be automatically coupled, but manually uncoupled.

One of the coupling members of the coupler, which may for convenience be called a female coupling head and comprisesa holf ydirected outwardly from each side wall 3 a suitable distance to strengthen the head, as

clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 .and 6. The front outer corners of each bumping. flange 8`is rounded, as at 9. The forward end of the bottom wall 2,0fthe coupler head 1 is beveled, as at 10,' as clearly shown in Fig. 4. i A suitable lock plate 11 is vpositioned to the vrear of the front opening 6 of the coupler head 1. VThe lock plate 11 is hingedly supported by means of a suitable pin 12, the ends of which pin extend into opposed vertically disposed slotted openings 13 in the i side Walls 3 of the coupler head1 to permit rearward arcuate movement of the lock plate v and vertical movement thereof. The lower edge bf the lock plate 11 is suitably arched, as at 14. The side edges of the lock plate 11, when inits vertically disposedposition, engages theinner face of the stop lianges 7 of the coupler head 1 to prevent forward l arcuatemovement `thereof from any cause whatsoever. Y Y The meansfor locking. the lock plate 11 vagainst accidental vertical ldisplacement consists of a bail memberv 1,5 the arms 16 of and the lock plate for raising the latter consists of a suitable hand lever 21 which extends to both sides of a car and is journaled in suitable bearings 22 which are iixed to the end of a car body. 23 represents a rod which connects the looped port-ion of the bail member with the operating hand lever 2l. The forward end of the connecting rod is looped, as at 24, and the lower portion of the loop midway its ends, as at 25 is lower than at its ends for releasing the lower portion of the loop from locked engagement with either stop 19 or 20 prior to lifting the lock plate l1 during an uncoupling operation.

A suitable draw bar 26 is integrally connected with and directed rearwardly from the rear wall l of the head l.

The second coupling member of the car coupler may for convenience be called a male coupling head and comprises a head member designated 2T from which extends rearwardly a suitable draw bar 28. The sides of the head 27 extend laterally beyond the sides of the draw bar, as at 29 and the forward cuter corners of the coupler head 2T are rounded, as at 30. The head 2T and its integral draw bar 28 are provided with a longitudinal passage 3l which is open at its forward end. Slidably mounted in the passage 31 is a coupling bar 32 having a longitudinal slotted opening and the forward bifurcated end 34. A suitable stop pin B5 is suitably carried by the draw bar 28 and passes through the slotted opening of the coupling bar 32. This pin 35 prevents extreme outward displacement of the coupling bar 82 during the pulling operation thereof.

A suitable connecting bar 3G is pivotally connected by means of a pin 37, at its rear end to the bifurcated end 34 of the slidable coupling bar 32. The forward end of the connecting bar 3G is provided with an upwardly directed pulling shoulder 3S and the lower corner thereof is rounded, as at B9 to facilitate cou )ling operations. l() represents a .suitable l -shaped trigger member which is pivotally connected by means of the pin -ll to suitable bearings 42 which are suitably fixed to the top face of the coupler head 27 near its forward end, as clearly shown in Figs. l, 2, 1i and 6. The vertically disposed arm 43 of the trigger El() has its front lower corner rounded, as at a4 and its lower face fiat, as at 45 for engagement with the upper face of the roar end of the connecting bar 3G which is disposed in the bifurcated end of the coupling bar 32 for locking the connecting bar 3G in its extended position `for coupling connection with coupling head l. The lower rear corner of the connecting bar 3G is coneaved, as at -lG to engage the rounded corner il of the trigger whenever the connecting bar 86 is moved into a vertical position, as shown in full lines in Fig. G, for shortening the length of the car when riding upon a cage. Each track is preferably provided with a suitable post -l-T which the connecting bar 3G will strike when a car is leatving a cage thereby automatically raising the comie'ctino` bar 3G to its normal horizontally disposed position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. ArinflS 01E the trigger 40 is preferably provided with a suitable hand operated lever member 49 which extends laterally to each side of the car where they can be easily und quickly raised for releasing the arm 43 of the trigger from engagement with the connecting bar 36 to permit the connecting bar 3G to fall and assume a vertically disposed position, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The draw bar of each coupler is suitably connected to its respective car, as is manifest, and not believed necessary to illus trate, outside of dotted lines.

The operation of the coupler is as follows:

resuming that two mine or other suitable cars are connected together, as clearly shown in Figs. l, 2 and l and it is desired to disconnect the coupling connection therebetween, the operator raises the hand operated lever 2l from either side of the car which first releases the lower portion of the loop portion of the bail member 13 from locking contact with either of the stops 19 or 20 and brings the bail member to a substantial vertical position and then in its further upward movement raises the lock plate ll free of engagement or interference with the pull shoulder 38 of the coupling connecting bar B6 thereby permitting the two connected cars to be uncoupled, as is manifest.

When it is desired to couple two cars together, the operator merely sees that the connecting bar 3G is raised to its horizontally disposed position, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and as the cars are moved together, the head of the connecting bar 36 strikes the lower portion of the lock plate 1l moving it in a rearward arcuate path until the pull shoulder 38 has moved into the coupler head l a suiiicicnt distance to cause the lock plate 11 to automatically move back to its normal vertical position by means of gravity, thereby automatically coupling the cars and locking the coupling heads together.

Due to the large end opening 6 in coupler head l and the pin like structure of the connecting bar 3G, it is evident that the connected cars can move about a very sharp curve as indicated by connecting bar in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

It will be further observed from Fig. 5, that when two cars are bumped together, that the coupler heads 1 and 27 comeinto draw bar 28.

end for end contact with each other, causing the coupler bar 82 Vand the connecting bar 36 to utilize the entire length of space provided for within the two coupler heads and The forward end of the connecting bar 36 at alltimes rests upon the bottom wall 2 ofthe coupler head 1 thereby preventing any possible chance of accidental `uncoupling of the coupling heads due to the fact that the pull lplate or lock plate is lockedagainst accidental vertical displacement by means of the bail'member and its engagingV stops. a Y The many advantages of the herein doscribed invention will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art `to whichit appertains. Y Y

I do not wish to be understood as having limited myself to the exact details of construction shown and described, but desire to have itunderstood that the invention I have shown in the drawings is merely illustrative,

as itis manifest that various minor changes may be made in the form, shape andparticular arrangement Y of parts without de parting fromthe spirit of myV invention, hence I reserve the right to make any such changes, or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims when fairly construed.

What I claimv is: Y

l. In a mine car coupler structure, a draw I bar, a hollow coupler head integral with the .forward end 1 of p said draw bar, pull Vshoulders formed atthe front open end of the coupler head, aswingable'and vertically movable coupling member positioned within and at the forward end of the'coupler head 2. A' coupler comprising a draw bar, a

hollow coupler head, bumpingv flanges eX- tending laterally from said head, inwardly directed full flanges at the mouth of said head, a pair of spaced lugs formed upon'the top of said coupler head, saidcoupler head having an opening infits top wall between said lugs and theside walls of lsaid head being providedv with registered vertically v disposed slotted openings, 'a coupling member positioned within the coupler head and normally in contact with the inwardlyv di rected pull flanges, a. pin passing through said coupling member and receivable in the slotted openings in the side wall of the `coupler head, a yoked member pivotally connected to the ends of said pin, ailever for elevating the coupling member through themedium of said yoked member and a cross membercarriedby the yoked member Iadapted to engage either of the aforesaid lugs to prevent accidental vertical displace-V s ment of thecoupling member.

In testimony whereof,l ,I have Yhereunto signed mynam'e to the specification. y o JOSEPH WESOLIK. 

